The Time is Running Out

He added that he planned to visit countries bordering Yugoslavia because he was also concerned about the impact of the Yugoslav crisis in the region as a whole. Mr. Vance said: "I feel much more deeply concerned" about Yugoslavia "then when I left. I feel time is running out." he said his concern was heightened by "what we used to say about the Middle East of some people trying to establish new facts" - that is, seizing territory as a means of creating greater leverage in the negotiations. "The chances of a cease-fire are pretty slim", he said. He remains persuaded that it is important to reconstitute the old federal presidency as a framework for resolving Yugoslavia's internal disputes, but said that there was a question whether that could be done "at the same time" the Hague talks were under way. He called the reestablishment of the full executive "a sensible idea that nearly everyone agrees to". The one who does not is Milosevic, he said, adding "Milosevic is unwilling to do anything".